The .303 in/calibre (7.7mm) was considered to be a light machine gun and therefore was able to be used anywhere. The .50 in/calibre (12.7mm) gun was therefore a heavy machine gun which was mainly carried on a vehicle or aircraft. The U.S. Machine guns were gas operated and fed from drum magazines or a belt. The Germans developed the MG 81 which was a dual-barrel gun that fired 3000 round per minute. Cannons.
One popular cannon used during World War 2 was the Hispano-Suiza HS.404. This was a single barrel, automatic, gas operated weapon. It saw use by the British, American, and French during World War 2 just to name a few. Aircraft such as the Bristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito, Hawker Tempest and many others were fitted with these cannons.
Rockets.
Mainly consisting of a warhead being attached to a steel tube filled with a smokeless propellant called Cordite which was electronically ignited. The maximum speed of such rockets was up to 1000mph and had a range of 1 mile. Missiles. Bombs. Torpedos.
World War 2 weapons consisted of:-
Machine Guns.
Cannons.
Rockets.
Missiles.
Bombs.
Torpedos.
More weapons!
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